Friendly and festive was the general vibe throughout the Bay of Plenty District tonight with only a small number of people putting a dampener on New Year celebrations.
There were several well-organised events, effective liquor bans, and lots of positive interaction between revellers, police staff and other volunteers working to ensure a safe and peaceful night.
Thousands chose Bay of Plenty to see in the New Year and as usual Mount Maunganui attracted the largest crowd. By 1.30am there had been 21 arrests; the lowest number in the event's history.
Prevention Inspector Scott Fraser said: "Year after year the Bay of Plenty is proving it has great communities and is a safe and friendly place to enjoy the summer. We have grown to expect a good standard of behaviour and the majority of people lived up to that reputation. It’s of no surprise that alcohol was the main cause of the negative situations we had to deal with and factored in the majority of the arrests. Irresponsible drinking led to pockets of minor disorder but thankfully no significant incidents or injuries.
“A lot of police staff didn't get to see the New Year in with their families because they were working to keep the rest of the community safe. Their hard work and dedication is reflected in the outcome, and the positive feedback we've had from so many members of the public around the district. The hard work doesn't stop there; the summer is just beginning and we will be continuing to prevent crime and disorder and work to keep everyone safe over the coming weeks and months. We can’t achieve that goal alone, and we urge everyone to do their bit to ensure the safety of their friends and loved ones.”
Outside of Western Bay of Plenty arrests numbers were also down on previous years; little difference to a regular Friday night in most areas. Rotorua had arrested 12 by 1.30am, Taupo 7 and Eastern Bay of Plenty 4.
Please note: Local Area Commanders may be available for local comment after approximately midday today. For any further queries please contact Prevention Manager Inspector Scott Fraser on 027 493 1041 after midday.
The Bay of Plenty Police District covers the Western Bay of Plenty (including Tauranga and Mt Maunganui), Eastern Bay of Plenty (including Whakatane and Opotiki), Rotorua and Taupo (including Tokoroa and Turangi).